Bit Error Rate (BER) estimation methods for communication signals and similar signals using a sampling oscilloscope are based on well accepted jitter and noise breakdown methodologies. This approach allows tracking BER problems to jitter and noise components, giving insights into problems and facilitating design trade-offs. A typical jitter and noise breakdown scheme separates data pattern correlated signal degradation components from the uncorrelated ones. Then the random and deterministic jitter and noise components are broken down and separated as described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,522,661.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,522,661 is implemented in 80SJNB Jitter, Noise and BER Analysis Software used with a DSA8200 Digital Sampling Oscilloscope, both manufactured and sold by Tektronix, Inc., Beaverton, Oreg. The 80SJNB software produces a correlated pattern data of a communication signal as well as separated uncorrelated random and periodic jitter and noise components of the communication signal. The software emulates a physical signal path of the communication signal and allows the inserting of filter, channel and equalizer elements in the signal path. The software allows independent scaling of the random noise component of the communication signal in each of the emulated signal path elements.
When examining the effects of signal path impairments on a communication signal traveling in a serial data link, different components of the jitter and noise breakdown scheme should be handled according to their own characteristics. For example, using an equalizer to compensate for intersymbol interference, it makes sense to adapt the equalizer attributes to the data correlated signal degradation components of the communication signal. Providing the means of specifying custom processing functions for each of the jitter and noise components expand the analysis capabilities, thus enhancing the accuracy and reliability of BER estimations.